Wave 2 of April Game Pass: The Cloud Highlights
Microsoft’s April 2026 Game Pass second wave is tailored for cloud players, with almost every headline title streamable. Double Fine’s Kiln is the standout, launching day one on cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC as a surreal “pottery power‑fantasy” that’s perfect for short, creative sessions without downloads. Final Fantasy V, arriving May 5, continues the service’s push to bring classic Final Fantasy entries to Game Pass, and it will also be playable via cloud alongside console and PC. Narrative adventure Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato and cozy machine‑building sim Little Rocket Lab both expand their availability to Game Pass Premium and support cloud streaming too. Action fans get gory FPS Trepang2 and bullet‑heaven spin‑off Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard, both cloud‑enabled. For story‑driven and experimental experiences, Aphelion’s sci‑fi adventure rounds out April, again fully playable through cloud gaming Game Pass.
The Next 10 Game Pass Titles and What to Stream First
Across late April and early May, ten titles hit Game Pass, and cloud players can access nearly all of them. Cloud‑enabled games include Little Rocket Lab; Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato; Vampire Crawlers; Kiln; Aphelion; Trepang2; Sledding Game (Game Preview); TerraTech Legion; and Final Fantasy V. Only Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era is PC‑only with no cloud support. If you are time‑poor, prioritize Kiln for its day‑one buzz and compact, creative loops, then Aphelion for its narrative sci‑fi campaign developed with the European Space Agency. Final Fantasy V is your long‑haul choice, ideal to chip away at via streaming on handheld devices. Trepang2 and Vampire Crawlers work well for quick, high‑intensity sessions when you do not want to manage installs. Sledding Game and TerraTech Legion are lower‑commitment sandbox and preview options, great if you just want to test the physics or building systems over the cloud.
Games Leaving Game Pass: Last Call for Cloud Players
Rotations cut both ways. While the April 2026 Game Pass lineup grows, several notable titles leave the service on April 30, and cloud players have the least margin for procrastination. Citizen Sleeper, Creatures of Ava, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, and Goat Simulator all support cloud streaming alongside console and/or PC, making them easy to sample but also easy to forget until they vanish. Endless Legend 2, meanwhile, exits on PC only. For cloud‑focused subscribers, Citizen Sleeper should be the top priority: its story‑heavy, session‑friendly structure suits streaming, and it is unlikely you will finish it once it drops out of the library. If you prefer action, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 offers a robust character‑driven brawler experience via cloud, whereas Goat Simulator is perfect for a few hours of chaotic sandbox fun before it disappears. Treat these as “now or never” experiments before focusing on the new arrivals.
Seven Games Leaving the PS Plus Game Catalog and a Free-DLC Gem
Sony is also trimming the PS Plus game catalog, with seven titles scheduled to leave on May 19, 2026, which directly impacts PlayStation Plus streaming users. Cloud‑reliant players will lose access to Control Ultimate Edition, MotoGP 25, Sand Land, Soul Hackers 2, Mortal Shell (including the Enhanced Edition), and The Dark Pictures Anthology entries Little Hope and Man of Medan. Once removed, these games will no longer be accessible via your subscription and must be purchased to keep playing. For streaming, Control Ultimate Edition should be your first stop, both for its prestige and because it is highlighted as the standout loss. Mortal Shell is the next best pick if you want a Souls‑style challenge before it vanishes. On the brighter side, quirky shooter‑sandbox Squirrel with a Gun is entering the PS Plus Extra and Premium catalog and has new, free Pride Month DLC with extra challenges, a new neighborhood area, and Pride‑themed cosmetics, making it an easy, low‑commitment stream.
Your April Cloud Streaming Backlog: What to Play, What to Park
With April 2026 Game Pass updates and PS Plus rotations, cloud players need a simple plan. On Game Pass, play soon: Citizen Sleeper and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 before they leave; then Kiln and Aphelion as fresh day‑one experiences. Start but do not rush: Final Fantasy V, which is perfect as a long‑term cloud JRPG, and Trepang2 or Vampire Crawlers for repeatable action bursts. On the PS Plus game catalog, play now: Control Ultimate Edition, followed by Mortal Shell if you enjoy punishing combat, since both exit on May 19. Sample if curious: Little Hope and Man of Medan for compact horror stories that stream well in a single weekend. For a low‑pressure palette cleanser, queue up Squirrel with a Gun and its free Pride Month DLC items and challenges. Revisit this checklist each mid‑month announcement, and always tackle expiring titles before diving deep into new, lengthy releases.